


Reunion

by Starofwinter



Series: Cuyane verse [2]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 09:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: Fenn Rau taught clone pilots.  He never thought he'd see any of them again, especially not almost twenty years later.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> NJ belongs to Kristsune!

Rau looks older when Anomaly sees him, but not as old as he himself looks.  Anomaly never filled out the way his infantry brothers did, he’s whipcord lean and scarred further by a hard life between the war and the Rebellion, and a few years he can’t quite remember in between.  

Still, as they pass in the hall, Rau does a double take and stops him with a hand on his shoulder.  “Anomaly?”  There’s a smile on his face, and blue eyes search his face.  

“Sir.  I heard rumors about you being here, but-  kriff, it’s good to see you.”  Rau had been more than a trainer for his pilots, he’d been damn near a brother; the closest in age to all of them, and he’d been kind.  Rau grasps his arm in a warrior’s clasp, a hint of grief in his eyes that’s painfully familiar.  At least it’s not  _ pity _ .

“I’m not your sergeant anymore, Anomaly.  Call me Fenn.”  

“Still teaching kids, then?” Anomaly raises a brow at the two teenagers loitering nearby, not so subtly listening in on the conversation.  They both studiously look elsewhere, but they aren’t doing a very good job of it.

“That’s Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger, yeah, they’re mine.”

Anomaly’s eyes dart between the kids and Fenn, one brow rising for a moment before things click.  “ _ Vode _ ?”

“ _ Vode _ ,” Fenn says, with a fond smile, “Anomaly, are there any others?”

That brings the elation at seeing someone  _ familiar _ crashing back down.  He wants so badly to say yes, but he doesn’t  _ know _ , except for one.  “NJ is here too.  He- he’s the one who got me out, after everything.  I wouldn’t have survived without him.”

Fenn swallows hard, and the lines in his face deepen for a moment as he realizes what Anomaly means - there aren’t any others, at least not that he’s heard of.  “I’m glad you had him then.  I’m part of a crew with Captain Rex, of the 501st.”

“He got out?” Anomaly asks, stunned, and there’s a moment of breathless, hopeful hesitation before he keeps going,  _ he has to know _ , “Did- did anyone else-   Was there  _ anyone _ else from the 501st?”

“No, not that I know of,” Fenn says, and it’s clear he understands what he’s asking from the regret in his expression.  All that old grief crashes down on Anomaly’s shoulders, and he stumbles a little; warm, firm arms wrap around him, and Fenn holds him close.  “Easy, ad’ika.  Udesii, I’m sorry.  I’m sorry, I wish I could give you better news.”  

Anomaly can’t do anything but cling to his instructor, sobbing into his shoulder like he’s a cadet again, and Fenn holds him up, rubbing his back, just the way he had then.  Movement out of the corner of his eye catches his attention, and he pulls back to wipe his tears, cleaning himself up as NJ approaches, having clearly been just around the corner waiting for him.

“An’ika?”  His voice is soft and full of worry, and he reaches out when Anomaly offers his hands.  “You okay?”

Anomaly nods, squeezing NJ’s hands gently in his own.  “I’m okay,” he says, clearing his throat, “Just… need a little time, okay?  I’ll catch up to you later and tell you everything, promise.”  

NJ sighs and nods, giving him one last searching look before he lets go, letting Anomaly head back to Fenn.

He grins at Fenn, shoving all that reawakened grief behind old shields.  “How about a drink, sir?  Think the stuff they make here makes the bunkroom contraband we made taste pretty good.”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Fenn smiles back at him, squeezing his shoulder as they head to the mess hall, the years since they last saw one another melting away.


End file.
